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PS4 Review: Hard Reset Redux

Hard Reset Redux takes place in a cyberpunk universe where machines are on the verge of extinguishing the human race. It opens with the last city, Bezoar, overrun with robots, seemingly let in from an inside source. Major Fletcher, a soldier in the CLN, is tasked with protecting Bezoar from this menace along with tracking down the culprit behind this betrayal. The story is told through comic strips and voice over given on missions, both of which are sparsely implemented. The comics actually look really good; it’s jus too bland of a story to care about despite some interesting mythos.

At it’s core, Hard Reset is trying to revive 90s shooters. There are no reloads, little story, and hoards of enemies. Fletcher is armed with two guns. One based on ammunition and the other other plasma. Players can upgrade these weapons along with unlocking new modes instead of gaining different weapons. For example, the standard assault rifle can become a shotgun, or a grenade launcher. It’s actually a great concept, but the guns don’t have any flair behind them.

In general, there’s little pizzazz in the game at all. Fletcher is a silent destroyer. The enemy robots provide little threat. Bezoar is a bland setting for a cyberpunk universe. Even the carnage is uninteresting. It definitely has the feel for an early first-person shooter, but it doesn’t go far enough into that territory to give itself a personality.

Hard Reset Redux is a competent video game, but not a fun one. Technically it runs fine, the controls feel tight, and it does look improved for this PS4 port. It’s not that it’s bad so much as it’s just plain boring: the worst thing anyone could say about a video game. At the very least, it’s short.

Score: 2/5 Stars

Special Notes: The publisher provided a review copy. This article was originally published on June 26, 2016 via my Examiner account before the website shut down. Check out the supporting video review on the accompanying YouTube Channel, ReActionExaminer.